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Selected:Usability TestingSAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method)Design ThinkingATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method)
| Criterion |  UX Research Usability Testing |  Architecture SAAM (Software Architecture Analysis Method) |  Innovation Design Thinking |  Architecture ATAM (Architecture Tradeoff Analysis Method) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Purposedifferent | When a product is built but people get stuck on tasks, usability testing shows the friction at concrete points. Observed use instead of self-report makes visible where orientation, understanding, or interaction breaks down. | SAAM helps teams judge an architecture’s suitability for selected tasks and changes. It is particularly useful for examining modifiability and comparing architecture alternatives with clear reasoning. | For complex user problems with an uncertain cause, the method connects observation, interpretation, and experiment into a learning cycle. It keeps the focus on real needs and avoids premature solution language. This produces robust decisions for product and service. | ATAM helps teams weigh architecture decisions when quality goals compete. The team considers business goals, stakeholder expectations, and technical decisions together. The evaluation shows which risks need further investigation. |
Complexitydifferent | Medium | High | High | High |
Timedifferent | 1-2 h je Session | Preparation, scenario analysis, and findings review; effort depends on scope | 1 Tag bis mehrere Wochen | Several meetings plus preparation and analysis; total effort depends on scope |
Participantsdifferent | Based on research question | Architecture experts and stakeholders for scenarios and weighting | 4-10 | Evaluation team, architects, and relevant stakeholders |
Formatdifferent | Workshop + async | Workshop + async | Workshop | Workshop + async |
Outputdifferent | Usability Issues, Severity List, Recommendations | Domain functions mapped to components and connections, Quality attributes and evaluation criteria, Typical tasks and their effects on the architecture, Reasoned evaluation or comparison of alternatives | Problem Statement, Prototype, Test Learnings | Prioritized quality scenarios in a utility tree, Architecture risks with reasoning and assumptions, Sensitivity and trade-off points, Findings report with open investigations |
Tagsno overlap | ValidationUXPrototype | ArchitectureChangeAnalysisComparisonQuality | InnovationPrototypeResearch | ArchitectureQualityRiskTradeoffsStakeholders |